librarianship: "a morally sound choice"?
I had a conversation with a student the other day who had at one point considered going into librarianship; he said that he thought it was, "a morally sound choice in a morally unsound world". I was rather taken aback by this statement, not just because I questioned the truth of it, but because I'm fairly certain (it's been a while since my school days) that neither morals nor ethics were a factor in my decision to enter the field. As I recall, my reasons for joining the profession were far more pragmatic; I thought that I could get a job, and one that wouldn't bore me. As for the academic side of things, I’ve always loved universities and thought being an academic librarian would allow me to be a part of academia without having to deal with all the uncertainties and politics of the professorial ranks (not sure I was right on that one, by the way!).
So, because that innocent comment caused such reflection on my part, I thought I would pose a question to you, noble readers and posters: what were your motivations for entering the profession? What importance do you feel morals play in librarianship? That last one might not be easy to answer without writing a novel, but please, take a crack at it.
posted by Gillian @ 5:27 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
I started out by getting a MA in Art History, thinking I'd eventually become a humanities professor moving around the country at the whim of open positions. But once I was married, I took the opportunity to sit back and take stock, and realized I didn't really like teaching large classes--I just liked learning and universities. Hmmm, what could I do for a living that satisfied both of those...
It was only after I entered library school that I discovered the service theme of librarianship. It made sense, once I thought about it--librarians as champions of information, of helping people in general--but (I'm slightly ashamed to say) it certainly wasn't my reason for wanting to become a librarian.
Now that I'm an academic librarian, it's amazing how well the job fits. My job includes reference, digitization projects, instruction, continuing learning, and professional activities like publishing, presenting, and attending conferences. A lot of librarians complain that we don't get enough credit for performing more than one job--we're expected to be service and to be active professionals. But to me, this is what I love about academic librarianship--I can do everything I love, right here.
I think my reasons were similar to yours, though I don't work in an academic library (yet).
People probably still regard librarians as upholding moral standards, y'know, like "the good ol days" when only "good" books were available in public libraries. I imagine for some people this may still play a role, but in general I doubt it.
I did not enter librarianship out of moral or ethical reasons. Or that I'm in love with books and want to share that love with the world. I never ever thought about librarianship until I was in my mid-30s. I was a paralegal for about six years, truly did not believe it was a good fit for me and started seeking other jobs where I could use that education. I read an article on alternative careers for paralegals and librarianship was one such choice. Of course I had to return to school--it took me another six years to make that decision. So now I'm here. So far it's a much better fit than the paralegal world (i.e., the world of private law firms). The type of thinking involved for librarians is not too dissimilar from that of paralegals--keeping information organized and accessible. Just that now I do that for a lot of people, instead of a team of attorneys. And my job is much more varied than it ever was as a paralegal. Plus I get genuine, heartfelt thank yous once in awhile--something I never got in the legal world.
I gratuated in Anthropology, and I eventually found out I was more interested at looking up and reading information than writing reports. (Plus I always loved to search and read)
Although it was not the main reason why I chose librarianship, I must say I was appealed by the fact I would work for a non-profit organisation. My work would not be aimed at helping someone make money.
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